19,754 Mercedes-Benz units sold: 2012 sales up over 16.7% on 2011

Mercedes-Benz Middle East and Levant 

‘Year of SUV and AMG’ a resounding success

• 2012: Best sales year on record
• Record SUV sales: Driven by new M-Class and seven-seater GL
• Record AMG sales: Up 80% on 2011
• Record GCC general distributor sales

Mercedes-Benz Middle East and Levant has announced 2012 as its best ever sales year on record, attributing the results to the resounding success of its two pronged ‘Year of the SUV’ and ‘Year of the AMG’ regional strategy. With 2012 regional sales up 16.7% on 2011, Mercedes-Benz smashed its existing best sales year record set in 2008 and closed the year with an astounding 15 consecutive months of double digit growth.

Spearheaded by the launch of the M-Class, G-Class and flagship GL; new SUVs matching peerless performance, fascinating technology, space and refinement assured a best ever SUV sales year, increasing 38% on 2011. Meeting performance with sophistication, the March launch of the M-Class and its three variants – V6 ML 350, V8 ML 500 and ML 63 AMG - saw its sales go into overdrive, increasing 52% on 2011 and earning accolades that included ‘Wheels: Best SUV’ and ‘Middle East Motoring Awards: Best Performance SUV’ for the ML 63 AMG, as well as‚ Middle East Motoring Awards: Best Premium Large SUV’ for the ML 350.

The region‘s love affair with the incomparable G-Class continued, with sales of the G 55 AMG and newly launched G 63 AMG and G 65 AMG variants climbing 74%.

The high performance Mercedes-AMG division stormed to a best ever annual result that surpassed 2011 sales by 80%. Fuelling the boost were the G 63 AMG and G 65 AMG variants, as well as the most powerful C-Class of all time - C 63 AMG Coupé Black Series; the athletic and sporty SLK 55 AMG Roadster; dual personality E 63 AMG executive saloon; and 525hp, zero to 100 km/h in 4.8 seconds ML 63 AMG.

With 12 new models and their variants launched in 2012, regional sales were spurred on by the E-Class, which continues to represent one of Mercedes-Benz most popular models, marked by the milestone achievement of over 15,000 regional unit sales for saloon, coupe, and cabriolet variants since its launch in 2009. The second generation of the pioneering CLS four door coupé continued to captivate Middle Eastern customers, who bought 88% more of the automotive style statement in 2012.

Individual general distributor markets also achieved unparalleled yearly sales success, including Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Iraq.

Announcing the results to media, Frank Bernthaler, Director, Sales and Marketing, Mercedes-Benz Cars, Middle East & Levant said: “By working closely with our long standing partners in the region to deliver exciting new vehicles and an enhanced customer experience, we continued the momentum built in 2011 to accomplish this phenomenal achievement. We can proudly claim 2012 as the Year of the SUV and Year of the AMG, and with the December launch of our unequalled seven seater flagship GL continuing to gather pace, we expect to continue to make inroads into the luxury SUV market in 2013.”

Bernthaler added that AMG will also continue to be a strong strategic pillar in 2013, due to the January launch of the AMG Driving Academy training programme and return of the annual AMG Performance Tour, as well as the 2013 launches of the new generation E-Class and Mercedes-Benz flagship S-Class luxury sedan models.